Enzymes play a crucial role in maintaining proper digestion and overall health. Good digestion depends on having the correct enzymes in adequate quantities, located in the appropriate areas at the appropriate times. This intricate process showcases the remarkable intelligence of our bodies.
Metabolic processes require enzymes
As we age, the burden on our bodies increases from various types of pollution, chemicals, toxins, stress, and emotional problems. All of this diminishes our body’s natural ability to make enough enzymes to meet the needs of daily life.
Enzymes are essential for the efficient operation of our body. They are necessary for all metabolic activities, not just for healthy digestion. We couldn’t survive without the help of enzymes.
What are enzymes, and how crucial are they to human health?
All animal and human cells produce complex protein molecules called enzymes. For instance, digestive enzymes are crucial because they reduce large food molecules into smaller pieces that may then be absorbed by intestinal mucosa cells and released into circulation.
Enzymes support digestion
Enzymes help the body not only digest proteins, carbohydrates, fats, and plant fibers. They are also involved in all the chemical reactions that take place in our bodies. These include, for example, the regeneration of cells or tissues and the removal of waste products and toxins, as well as the support of the immune system. In short, enzymes get the whole organism going!
Dr. Edward Howell, the pioneer of enzyme therapy, describes it this way:
“Life is made possible by the presence of enzymes. All chemical processes that occur in the human body depend on them. Nothing would happen at all without enzymes. Without enzymes, neither vitamins, minerals, nor hormones can function.”
This view is also supported by Dr. D. A. Lopez, Dr. R. M. Williams, M.D., PhD, and M. Miehlke, M.D., who say that “the driving power behind our body, enzymes carry out each and every task required for survival as well as for our daily activities. Every single organ system in our body depends on them for all of its operations. We also need enzymes for our immunity and defense systems, as well as for our ability to see, hear, smell, taste, breathe, and move. And Enzymes aid in nutrient absorption and digestion.”
Do we have an unlimited supply of enzymes?
The body’s own production of enzymes decreases with age or is also restricted in some chronic diseases. An unhealthy diet and lifestyle can also reduce the proper production of enzymes.
Three solutions to this problem
First, we introduce the different types of enzymes and their occurrence.
The three main categories of enzymes are:
- Digestive enzymes
- Food or plant enzymes
- Metabolic enzymes
1. Digestive enzymes secreted by the salivary glands, stomach, pancreas and small intestine help break down food into simple molecules.
2. Food enzymes occur naturally in raw foods. However, if these are heated above 42° Celsius, the high temperature destroys most of the enzymes. Digestive enzymes and dietary enzymes perform the same function. Namely, they digest the food so that it can be absorbed into the bloodstream. The difference between the two is that food enzymes come from fresh, raw, and uncooked foods, such as fruits, vegetables, salads, etc., and digestive enzymes are produced in our body itself.
3. Metabolic enzymes are produced in the cells and are found throughout the body, i.e. in the organs, bones, blood and in the cells themselves. Metabolic enzymes maintain the organ function of the brain, heart, lungs, kidneys, etc., and are therefore needed by the body in large numbers.
Enzymes and how they work
Let’s take a closer look at some enzymes and how they work. In the following, we describe where the individual enzymes become active and in which foods they can be found.
Enzyme Lipase
Lipases are enzymes that digest fats. When added to a meal as a supplement, it digests the fats in the food, thus relieving the gallbladder, liver, and pancreas when these organs can no longer produce the required enzymes in sufficient quantities.
Enzyme Protease
Proteases split proteins into their individual parts, peptides and finally amino acids. Proteins consist of long amino acid chains, while peptides are only short amino acid chains of a maximum of 100 amino acids (some sources give a maximum of 50 amino acids).
People who suffer from food allergies or have trouble digesting proteins benefit from taking protease supplements, such as bromelain or papain supplements. Often these preparations contain proteases from papaya (papain) or pineapple (bromelain). Both are also used in high doses as natural remedies for inflammation.
Enzyme Amylase
Amylases break down starch, so they help digest carbohydrates from baked goods, pasta, potatoes and many other starchy foods.
Enzyme Cellulase
Cellulases are enzymes that break down fibers (cellulose). In most cases, it is only bacteria that can form cellulases. These bacteria live, for example, in the rumen of cattle or in the large intestine of horses, which is why these animals can live so well on grass, hay and other food that contains a lot of cellulose. In humans, only a few of these bacteria live in the large intestine, which is why cellulose is largely an indigestible fiber for humans.
Enzyme Lactase
Lactase is an enzyme that can break down milk sugar (lactose) from milk and dairy products. Lactose is a disaccharide (double) because it is composed of two simple sugars, glucose and galactose. The lactase now breaks down the lactose into these two simple sugars, which are then absorbed into the blood. Glucose serves as an important fuel for the cells. Galactose is needed for the regeneration of cell membranes, for healthy nerve cells and an active brain.
In the case of widespread lactose intolerance (about 70 percent of the world’s population is affected), lactase is no longer produced in the body in adulthood, which is basically quite natural, since an adult usually no longer needs milk. Milk is an infant formula and therefore intended for babies who do not yet have teeth and do not yet have a fully developed digestive system. Therefore, all people usually produce lactase only in the first three years.
If you are lactose intolerant but still want to consume dairy products, you can take lactase as a preparation.
Enzyme Phytase
Phytase breaks down phytic acid, which is found in cereals and seeds, as well as simple sugars into fructose and glucose.
Enzyme Maltase
Maltase digests complex and simple sugars. Maltase breaks down unused glycogen in the muscles. Glycogen is a thick, sticky substance made from sugars and starches, and stored in the muscles for later use. If the amount of stored glycogen is constantly increasing, this leads to increasing muscle weakness and muscle regression.
Enzymes from food support digestion
The natural enzymes in raw food can aid digestion. To do this, however, the raw food must be well chopped, chewed thoroughly and eaten slowly. The enzymes contained in food represent only a small part of the enzymes actually needed.
It is true that raw vegetables, salads and sprouts are valuable foods due to the vital substances they contain. When it comes to enzyme supply, however, it is more important to keep our own enzyme production healthy by doing everything we can for a healthy digestive system: eating healthy, exercising regularly, getting enough sleep, detoxifying as needed, and/or taking probiotics and avoiding nutrient deficiencies.
Digestion costs the body strength
The body’s highest priority is to ensure an adequate supply of nutrients so that all body systems can be active. However, this requires an intact digestive system. Since this system nowadays receives very few nutritional enzymes from valuable raw food, the body has to provide more and more of its own enzymes. This costs him a lot of energy and explains why more and more people suffer from digestive problems and permanent fatigue.
Dr. DicQie Fuller PhD emphasizes the need for enzymes for digestion in her book “The Healing Power of Enzymes“:
“Digestion uses 80% of the energy that goes into maintaining our bodies. If you are exhausted, under stress, live in a very hot or very cold climate, or are a regular air traveler, your body needs enormous amounts of extra enzymes. Because our entire system works through enzymatic activity, we need to supplement our enzymes. The aging process deprives us of our ability to produce the necessary enzymes. Doctors say that all diseases are due to a deficiency or imbalance of enzymes. Our lives depend on them!”
Which enzymes are suitable for ingestion?
If you suffer from indigestion and want to take enzymes to help, pay attention to combinations of different enzymes. Many enzyme preparations are not vegan! Therefore, when buying, pay attention to whether the vegan symbol can be found on it.
Some plant enzymes are said to be even more effective because they survive the acidity of the stomach better, whereas pancreatic enzymes (from animals) may not even reach the small intestine, where they do their work – unless, of course, you pay attention to stomach-resistant capsules.
